Escarole with Nectarines and Ricotta Salata
Most recipes for escarole involve cooking it down for a long period of time over low heat to turn its bitterness into a mellow and sweet flavor, says Chef Barton Seaver. But a good-quality, young head of this lettuce can make for a sublime salad if balanced with a sweet component. In this recipe, it is grilled nectarines, which have a smoky, caramelized sweetness but also maintain some of their piercing acidity. The walnuts add a nice textural component, and the ricotta salata provides a salty punctuation.
Estimated Nutrition (whole recipe, rough)
Counts 8 of 9 ingredients — the other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and contribute nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume — 8 portions →
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Ricotta Cheese | 1/2 cup (124g) part-skim | 174 |
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Cheese | 1 oz (28g) cheddar | 113 |
| Orange | 1 medium (131g) | 62 |
| Maple Syrup | 1 tbsp (20ml) | 52 |
| Walnut | 1 walnut half (4g) | 26 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Nectarine | not in our table | 0 |
Totals for the whole recipe, adding one typical portion per ingredient — listed above. Quantities in the recipe are not counted, so this is a rough guide only — not suitable for medical or dietary planning.
Ingredients
- 4 nectarines, pitted and cut into quarters
- 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 1 head escarole, trimmed of heavy stems and cut crosswise
- into 1-inch-wide strips
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- Juice of 1 orange
- 1 Tbs. maple syrup (optional)
- 3 oz. ricotta salata cheese
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste